The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-01-07

yesterday, and have Dick bring us OucKc'
Of cold spring water and the bottles and
things"
"Abe!" said Joseph Pancake to his file
leadcr-a red-headed, pock-marked man
whose normal condition was that Of out
spoken disgust at everything means q
fight
"Yflr news would've been fresh and in.
teresl:.lg last night" growled Abe Bolton.
~ suppose that's what we brought our guns
along for"
"Yes; but somebody's likely to get killed.
"Well, you nor me don't have to pay their
life insurance, as know on"
"But it may be you or me-"
"The devil'd be mighty anxious for green
wood before he'd call you in"
"Come, now, don't talk that way. This is
a mighty serious time"
all make it burned sight seriouser for
you if you don't keep them splay feet O.
your'n often my heels when we're march
ing"
"Don't you think we'd better pray, or
something"
"You might try taking up collection"
"Try starting hymn, joe" said a slender
young man at his right elbow, whose face
showed color more intimately connected
with the contents of his canteen than the
heat of the day. "Line it out, and we'll all
join in. Something like this, for example:
Hark, from the tombs O doleful sound;
Mine ears attend the cry.
Ye living men, come view the ground,
Where you must shortly lie"
Pancake shuddered visibly.
"Come, spunk up. Joe," continued the
slender young man. think how proud all
your relations will be of, you if you die for
your country"
am mad at all my relations, and l don't
want to do nothing to please EN-" sighed
Joe.
"But I hope you're not so greedy as to want
to live always!" said the slender young man,
who answered roll call to Kent Edwards
"No, but don't want to be knocked off
like green apple, before I'm ripe and
ready"
"Better he knocked Off green and unripe,"
said Kent, his railing mood changing to one
of sad introspection, "than to prematurely
fall from worm gnawing at your heart"
Joes fright was not SO great as to make
him forego the opportunity r6an hrutalre-
sstYou nieasr ts.v-s vufh % I'd .BI. 81
Well, it don't gnaw at my heal8 50 much as
some other follSses that know'd."
Kent's face crimsoned still deeper and he
half raised his musket, as if to strike him, but
at that moment came the order to march,
and the regiment moved forward.
The enemy was by this time known to be
near, and the men marched in that silence
that comes from tense expectation.
The day was intensely hot, and the stag
nant, sultry air was perfumed with the thou
sand sweet odors that rise in the West Vir-
ginia forests in the first flush of summer
At last the regiment halted under the CRATE
full shadows of the broad topped oaks and
chestnuts.
The men threw themselves down for mo-
ment's rest on the springing moss that COW
cred the whole mountain side. A hum of
comment and conversation arose. Joe
Pancake began to think that there was not
likely to be any fight after all, and his spirits
rose proportionately. Abe Bolton growled
that the cowardly officers had no doubt de-
liberately misled the regiment, that fight
might be avoided. Kent Edwards saw a
nodding Mayapple fower-as fair as Gala
and as odorous as pink-at little distance,
and fastened to pick it. He came back with
it in the muzzle of his gun, and his hands full
Of violets.
A thick bodied rattlesnake crawled slowly
and clumsily out from the shelter of little
LEDGE his fearful eyes cleaning with deadly
intentions against a ground squirrel frisking
upon the end of messy log, near where
Capt. Bob Bennett was seated, porting over
troublesome detail in the "Tactics." The
snake saw the man, and his awkward
movement changed at once into one Of cleo
tric alertness He sounded his terrible rattle,
and his dull diamonds and stripes lighted up
with the glare that shines through an enraged
mans face. The thick body seemed to
engthen out and gain a world of sinuous
'uppleness With the quickness of flash he
was coiled with head erect, forked tongue
orotruding and eyes flaming like satanic
Jewels
A shout apprised Capt. Bennett Of his dan
yer. He dropped the book, sprang to his feet
With quickness that matched the snakes,
md instinctively drew his sword. Stepping
/ little to one side as the reptile launched it.
elf at him, he dextrously cut it in two with
! sweeping stroke. A shout of applause rose
rom the excited boys, who gathered around
o inspect the slain serpent and congratulate
he captain upon his skillful disposition of his
ssailant
20, that's only my old bat stroke that used
o worry the boys in town ball SO much" said
he captain carelessly. ats queer what
hings turn out useful to man, and when he
east expects them"
A long, ringing yell from a thousand
hroats cleft the air, and with its last notes
anne the rattle of musketry from the brow |
f the hill across the little ravine. The bull
cts sang viciously overhead. They cut the
caves and branches with sharp little crashes,
nd struck mems bodies with a peculiar slap.
l score of men in the disordered group fell
ack dead or dying upon the green moss
"Of course, we might've knowed them
of1icers'd run us right slap into
hornets nest of rebels before they knowed
hing about it," grumbled Abe Bolton, hastily
caring a cartridge with his teeth and forcing
into his gun.
"Hold on, my weakened patriot" said
Cent Edwards, catching Joe Pancake by
be collar and turning him around so that he
aced the enemy again. ats awful bad man
ers to rush out of a matinee just as the per-